I was very excited when I was told that I could show Maestro in the Trick or Treat class. The grey classic stag was such a sweetheart and a lot of fun to work with. So, when I led him into the arena for the Trick or Treat class I didn't have a bit of apprehension. It couldn't go any worse than Goblin's performance, after all… that was completely and utterly humiliating. The judges had found the fat fawnling's refusal to obey funny, but I certainly hadn't. I knew that I would not have to worry about Maestro misbehaving though. If anything the grey stag just wouldn't learn the trick that would be asked of him. I wasn't sure how intelligent he was, but at least I knew he wasn't a hellion.
Patting the inky black mane of the stag, I watched the judges with excitement as I waited for them to tell me what I'd be teaching Maestro now. I watched as one approached me with an object in his hands. As he laid it out before us it gave a little chime and I realized immediately what it was. A piano! I couldn't help but wonder if the judges had a sense of humor or if they hadn't known what Maestro’s name was prior to tonight. It was a bit of a strange place to have a toy piano, in the midst of a spooky arena in the middle of the night, but I supposed it worked. “Teach him to hit a key.” The judge gave me my task. It seemed pretty simple. From what I knew about Maestro, he adored music anyways.
The judge returned to his seat and it was time to start teaching Maestro. I had ten minutes to try my best to do so. I gently picked the stag’s hoof up. He offered no resistance as I laid it down on the piano’s first key, which gave a ding. “Play!” I exclaimed excitedly, trying to help him out with a word. Surprised, the pale stag withdrew his hoof from me and looked down at the piano. His head tilted slightly, ears pricking forwards. Again, I picked his hoof up and gently pressed it down on the piano. “Play!” I repeated. Maestro let out a delighted snort as the little ding happened again. Before I could even have the time to lift his hoof a third time, he suddenly did it on his own! He tapped his hoof against the first key and it dinged. A delighted squeal slipped from the grey stag’s lips and he proceeded to tap his hoof down on the piano in quick succession, making it ding rapidly.
The judge and I just watched Maestro with surprise, neither of us having expected that. I couldn't help but laugh and the judge grinned at me in response as we watched the little stag tap away at the piano. “Well then… I think it's safe to say he's learned a new trick.” The judge smirked. I couldn't help but add my two cents in as well. “And that I'm going to have to buy him a piano!”
